“Are you all right?”
Sadie started laughing. “Nice catch.” Her foot was stuck in a square hole in the ground. “Should’ve been looking where I was going.”
It hadn’t been there before, or at least hadn’t been noted on the crime-scene report. And perhaps it wouldn’t have been. Though it definitely had proximity to where the man died and was almost a perfect square. It was pretty obvious that a person had dug something up. As I looked from the dug-up space to the clover etching, an idea sparked.
“What is it?” Sadie asked.
I apparently wasn’t being very subtle in my expressions. “I was just thinking how odd it was that there would be a dug-up spot like this in the middle of the trees.” It was partially true, though I was careful to be stealthier as I backed up to the tree and paced off the distance between the etching and the spot. Six paces. Six feet exactly. I had no idea what that meant, but I knew for certain I had to get a look around the newest crime scene. Somehow, and without Sadie or whoever else was around figuring out why.
“Come on,” I said, walking quickly away from the trees.
Sadie started laughing, but she followed me anyway. “What are you up to, Mori? Is this some kind of strange treasure hunt?”
I grinned at her over my shoulder. “Maybe.”
“What’s the prize for winning? And I do mean besides the pleasure of a walk through the park with little ol’ you.”
“Do they make such a lavish prize?”
We both laughed and she skipped to catch me up, looping her arm through mine. The plan had been to make straight for the fountain from the site, but when we got about halfway there, a big loop of yellow tape appeared just off the main path. Too close to the main path, actually. There weren’t even any trees to shelter the crime from prying eyes. What was it Sherlock had said?
It appears our killer is losing more of his control.
I suddenly wondered how well my father had hidden his crimes; if DI Mallory’s sudden interest in spending nights out with Dad at the pub had anything to do with his interest in the investigation; if, perhaps, he would eventually be able to put this thing together on his own. My dad could rot in a prison cell for the rest of his life for all I cared, but I wasn’t ready for the fallout. I wasn’t ready for my and my brothers’ lives to change forever.
If my dad was going to be caught, it would be on my terms—when I had a plan in place to protect the boys and me from what came next. And that day was not today.
She narrowed her eyes. “What in the world are you doing?”
I composed my expression into my best smile. “How would you like to help me find my next clue?”
“For the treasure hunt?”
“Sure. But it’s inside that circle there.”
“That crime-scene circle?”
“Technically, yes. But it’s got to be an old one or there’d be more people, right?” It was a blatant lie, which made me the worst friend in history. But I needed her to believe me, just for a little while.
Sadie’s forehead crinkled when she raised her brows. “This sounds deliciously delinquent of you.” She gave me a devious smile. “I’m in.”
Relief and guilt flooded me equally as I turned away from her. The taped-off area was guarded rather loosely by two uniformed bobbies and a plain-clothed, youngish man, who couldn’t possibly be more than a detective constable. They were chatting with their backs to us, but one of the uniforms turned before we got too close.
“What happened here?” Sadie asked.
“Some small, boring thing, I’m sure,” I answered.
“Yes, because they always bring out the yellow tape for the small, boring crimes.”
“All you need to do is distract the police so I can look around.”
“And when do I get to find out what exactly it is you’re looking for?”
“One day. Two days tops.”
Sadie pointed a finger at me. “Twenty-four hours, or I’m out.”
I grinned. “Fine.”
“Fine,” she echoed, and pranced off toward the officers, leaving me to my task.
I took in the whole scene at once, which was pretty much just a grassy area that looked like it hadn’t been mowed in a while. I couldn’t see too much of where the body had been, other than what looked like a stain but could have been anything from where I stood.
I heard Sadie distracting them brilliantly. “Now what is that funny word y’all use for your policemen?”